Sweet Sensations, Part 2

Sweet Sensations
Part 2 - The Next Step

   Candida awoke to the smell of eggs and made her way to breakfast.  "Good
morning mom."

   Good morning Candi.  Did you sleep ok last night?"

   "Yes I did.  Are you going shopping this morning?"

   "Relax, when we're done, I'll go get you more candy.  Do the dishes, take a
shower and get dressed while I'm out.  I won't be gone long."  Sandra finished
her eggs and lit up a cigarette.  She leisurely smoked it while Candi began
doing the dishes.  When she was half done with her Misty Menthol 120, she
announced that she was going to the store.  She was gone and back within the
hour and was greeted by an anxious Candida.

   "Did you get them?" 

   "Of course I did.  Here they are."  Sandra handed the pack of candy
cigarettes to her daughter.  Candida immediately opened them and took one out.
"Boy, you look like you can't wait.  I think I'll join you."  Sandra lit up
one of her cigarettes as Candida ate her candy cigarette.

   "I haven't had one since yesterday.  I missed them."

   "Make them last Candi.  I don't want you going through them too fast."

   "I will mom."  She ate her candy again occasionally mimicking her mother's
smoking style.

   A few days later Sandra again prepared a special dinner.  Candida enjoyed
the treat as well as the chance to have some more wine and told her mother so.
Sandra told her daughter that because of her increased income these types of
meals would happen more frequently.  Candida was glad to hear the news.  In
the middle of the meal, Sandra decided to take a break and smoke a cigarette.
She told Candida it would be fine if she wanted to have a candy cigarette
between courses.  Candida jumped at the chance.  Sandra sipped her wine and
refilled both glasses then lit up.  She took a deep satisfying drag and did a
combined mouth and nose exhale.  Meanwhile, Candida was making short work of
her candy.  She finished it quickly and asked if she could have another.
Sandra smiled through an exhale.  "Sure," she said and had more wine.  When
they finished their respective cigarettes, they finished the meal and had
dessert.  Sandra then refilled her wineglass and asked Candida if she wanted a
little more.  Candida said yes so Sandra gave her half a glass.  Sandra lit an
after dinner cigarette and Candida reached for her candy box.

   "Oh no, I finished them," Candida said.

   "I guess you're out of luck until tomorrow then."  Sandra took another
drag.  "Unless of course you want a cigarette," Sandra suggested remembering
how it helped her once before.

   "I don't know mom."

   "It's up to you, but it's a long night."

   Candida thought about it for a while.  "I guess I'll have one since that's
all there is."

   Sandra took out a cigarette and held it out to her.  "Here you are.  Do you
remember how to light it?"

   Candida took it and said, "Yes, I suck on it while you hold the lighter to
the end then blow out when I feel smoke in my mouth."

   "That's right.  Ready?"

   "Yes."  Candi put the Misty Menthol 120 in her mouth as Sandra brought the
lighter to the tip.  Candi pulled some smoke into her mouth and blew it out
quickly.

   Sandra took another deep draw and inhaled as she watched Candi take a puff
and blow it out again.  "Why don't you hold the smoke in your mouth a little
before blowing it out?"

   Candida tried what her mother said.  She took a puff and held it for a few
seconds before blowing it out.  "It tastes more minty and cool that way."  She
sipped her wine and said, "I feel a little funny mom."

   "It's probably the wine.  Take it easy on it."  Sandra continued smoking as
she watched Candida take a few more puffs.  "How are you doing?"

   "Fine.  It's getting easier to smoke.  I think I'm getting the hang of it."

   "I know it's not hard to do Candi," Sandra said, taking a drag on her
shrinking cigarette.  Soon she was done and put out her cigarette.  She topped
off her wine and began clearing the table.

   Candida took a few more puffs before putting her cigarette out and helping
clean the table.

   Later that night, Sandra was reading and Candida was playing in the living
room.  Sandra lit up a cigarette and continued to read.  Candida noticed her
mother smoking and wished she had some candy to eat.  Knowing she didn't, she
worked up her courage.  "Mom, since I don't have any candy would it be alright
if I had another cigarette?"

   Sandra looked at her daughter who looked back with puppy dog eyes.  Seeing
that look melted her heart.  She was so cute.  Why not, she thought to
herself.  "If it's what you want, here you are."  She took out a cigarette for
Candi and handed it to her.  "Sit next to me while you smoke it."  Candi put
it in her mouth and Sandra lit her.  Candi remembered to hold her puffs a bit
before blowing them out.

   Candi watched her mother smoke while smoking herself and noticed something.
"Mommy, how come the smoke looks different when I blow it out then when you
do?"

   "That's because I'm inhaling it and you're not."

   "Inhaling?  What's that?"

   "I breathe in the smoke before I exhale it. Watch me."  Sandra took a drag
and opened her mouth to show her daughter the smoke.  She then inhaled slowly
and exhaled a few seconds later.  "That's inhaling."

   "It looks nice when you do it.  Can I try it?"

   Sandra figured Candi was probably ready for it since she was curious.  "Ok,
but some people cough when they do it.  Just take a small puff for the first
one."  

   Candida followed her mother's instructions and took a tiny puff.  She held
it in her mouth for a moment then opened her mouth and breathed in.  The puff
was small enough that she hardly exhaled any smoke.  "That didn't look like
yours does."

   "Try taking a little more.  You'll get it."

   Candida took a slightly larger puff and inhaled it.  This time she felt
something in her throat that went down her chest and into her lungs.  It was
warm and cool at the same time.  She let out an exhale and said, "I did it!"

   "Not bad for your first time."

   Encouraged by her initial success, Candida took another slightly larger
puff and inhaled it.  She held it briefly and exhaled.  "That time it looked
more like yours do."  A moment later she felt something.  "I feel a little
dizzy."

   "That's because you're inhaling now.  You don't have to do it anymore if
you don't want to," Sandra said taking another drag for herself.  

   "I think I want to try it again."  Candida took an even longer pull on the
Misty Menthol 120 and inhaled a little deeper.  She held it until she felt the
tingle return then exhaled.  "That was good.  It feels weird, but I think I
like it.

   "I remember the first time I inhaled, I liked it right away too," Sandra
said.

   "How old were you when you started smoking mom?"

   Sandra decided the truth was the best way to respond and told her about
that day in the yard.

   As Candi listened, she found herself wanting to take a puff a few more
times.  A few weeks ago, she never thought about smoking, but she was enjoying
it now.  She loved the feeling she got every time she inhaled, and was glad
her mother offered her the chance to try it.  "So you weren't much older than
I am when you started?"  Candi brought the cigarette to her lips for yet
another puff.  She inhaled again and was really buzzing after slowly exhaling.

   "No, I guess not," Sandra said.  She took another puff herself.  "You might
as well enjoy it for now."

   "Don't worry mom, I really am."  To show her mother, she took a big puff,
and smiled as she blew it out.  Candida was amazed that she actually liked the
way the smoke tasted.  She paid attention to her own exhales and once blew the
smoke left and right then left again.

   After a few more puffs each, Sandra finished her cigarette and put it out.
Candi took the cue and put hers out after a final, tasty drag.  "Come here
honey," Sandra said.

   Candida got up to go to her mother.  When she did, the room spun a little.
She stumbled slightly as she made her way.

   Sandra gave her daughter a hug.  "You're buzzed.  I miss that."

   "Doesn't it always feel like this mom?"

   "No.  Over time it goes away, then it just feels normal."

   "Why do you still smoke then?"

   Again, Sandra was honest.  "I smoke because I like it and because I'm
hooked."

   "How do you know you're hooked?"

   "Well, if I go for too long without one, I get edgy.  It goes away when I
smoke."  The conversation drifted to other things and soon it was Candi's
bedtime.

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